


Payback

by Serai



Category: The Faculty (1998)
Genre: Bitchslapping, Teacher-Student Relationship, Verbal Humiliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 18:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4971826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serai/pseuds/Serai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Push him far enough, and Furlong's not such a wimp anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Payback

.  
Mr. Furlong gave a chuckling snort as the class's nervous laughter tittered into silence. He leaned forward and slowly placed his hands wide apart on the desk. With a long, sidling look, he asked, "Why are you still here, Zeke?"

The pen flipping in Zeke's hand stilled instantly, and his eyes took on that flat look the students knew too well. He didn't answer.

"Seriously. I'm asking because I can't figure it out," Furlong continued. "You're not doing the work, you're barely cracking a book. You've got a hell of a brain but you're not doing anything with it. Obviously, this thing you've got going is very convenient for you. I'm sure you're getting copiously laid, what with the whole James Dean vibe." A low gasp from the class, especially the girls, and Zeke's face tightened another fraction. "But you're wasting people's time. My time." He gestured towards the other students. "Their time, the other teachers' time. Your time, too. Only three more months til graduation, Zeke. Nobody here has time for your _wit."_ He enunciated the last word to make the subtext crystal clear.

Furlong straightened up and smiled a little. "Or is that what it's about? Them? Their reaction? Are you entertaining us, Zeke? Are you honing an act? You going to be a stand-up comedian? Famous, one day? Zeke Tyler at the Improv? What's your act going to be about, Zeke? Us?"

The class was quiet now, and Zeke's face had paled. He said nothing, just looked at Furlong, waiting. The teacher was on a roll, though - every time Zeke had undermined or subtlely belittled him was being paid back now, in front of his peers. There was a glint of enjoyment in Furlong's eye.

"Because I've got news for you, Zeke. You're not enrolled here to entertain anyone. You're not enrolled here to amuse yourself. Or to humiliate Miss Burke, or get chesty with Mr. Tate, or disrupt my class and _waste my fucking time."_ Another gasp. None of them had ever heard a teacher say "fuck" before. "Yes, you're funny, Zeke. You're clever, quick on your feet. You're also genius level brilliant, and a goddamn heartbreak to try and teach. Now get the fuck out of my class, and don't come back without a reason to be here." 

Zeke stared at Furlong, amazed, and as Furlong turned away to the blackboard, he caught a grimace of sadness on the teacher's face. The dismissal stung, as well as the truth in Furlong's words. Zeke got up and silently left the room. Furlong didn't watch him leave.

"Okay, everybody. Let's review our results, shall we?"  
.


End file.
